Phrasal Verbs with Take (Plus Idiomatic Phrases)

Phrasal verbs with take are common in everyday, informal conversations. They include “take after,” “take in,” “take to,” and at least a dozen more. You can conjugate all of the phrasal verbs with “take” into different verb tenses (e.g., “took on” or “has taken in”), and they fall into three categories:

• Intransitive phrasal verbs don’t have direct objects. Two meanings of “take off” are intransitive.
• Transitive and inseparable phrasal verbs act on direct objects that can’t go between “take” and the particle (e.g., “to”).
• Transitive and separable phrasal verbs have direct objects that can go between the verb and the particle. If the direct object is a pronoun, it always goes after “take” (e.g., “take me on”).

The definitions and examples below show how to use a variety of phrasal verbs with “take” as well as idiomatic phrases like “take care” and “take part in.”

Take aback/taken aback

To shock or surprise someone (transitive, separable with a direct object that’s a person between “take” and “aback”)

Take after

To resemble a relative or caregiver (transitive, inseparable with a direct object that’s always a person or people)

Take apart

To separate into different parts or pieces (transitive, separable)

Take aside

To move someone away from others for a private conversation (transitive, separable with a direct object that’s a person and always between “take” and “aside”)

Take away

1. To remove something (transitive, separable)
2. To learn (something) from a text or experience (transitive, separable)

Takeaway meaning

“Takeaway” is a compound noun that refers to a conclusion that someone makes from a text or experience. For example, professional writers often use the heading “key takeaways” for a list of the most important points in an article.

Take back

1. To return a purchase to a store (transitive, separable)
2. To withdraw a statement that was inaccurate or impolite (transitive, separable)
3. To allow someone to return after a breakup or other separation (transitive, separable)
4. To remind someone of a time in the past (transitive, separable with a direct object that’s always a person and always between “take” and “back”)

Take care (idiomatic phrase)

1. To be careful, healthy, or well—often used as a farewell wish instead of “goodbye”
2. To put effort into doing or not doing something (followed by “to”)

Take care of (idiomatic phrase)

1. To provide someone or something’s needs
2. To ensure that something gets done

Take down

1. To remove or dismantle a structure (transitive, separable)
2. To write (transitive, separable)

Take for

To regard as or mistake for (transitive, separable with a person always between “take” and “for”)

Take for granted (idiomatic phrase)

To undervalue, forget to appreciate, or assume something will never be scarce or absent

Take in

1. To host or house as a long-term guest or resident (transitive, separable)
2. To fully experience or perceive (transitive, separable)

Take off

1. Become successful (intransitive)
2. To remove from a surface (transitive, separable)
3. Depart the ground to begin a flight (intransitive)
4. Reduce a portion of a price (transitive, separable)
5. To remove something (transitive, separable)

Takeoff meaning

“Takeoff” is a compound noun for a plane, spacecraft, or other vehicle’s ascent from the ground into the air (e.g., “Always fasten your seatbelts before takeoff”).

Take on

1. To accept an undertaking or job (transitive, separable)
2. To begin to have a certain characteristic or quality (transitive, inseparable)
3. To hire for a job (transitive, separable with a person between “take” and “on” and followed by “as a”)

Take out

1. To remove (transitive, separable)
2. To get a loan, mortgage, or insurance policy (transitive, separable)

Takeout and take-out meanings

“Takeout” is a compound noun that means “restaurant food that you take home” (e.g., “We ordered takeout and watched Ted Lasso”). “Take-out” (with a hyphen) is an adjective that modifies a noun that is related to takeout food (e.g., “The take-out menu doesn’t include desserts”).

Take out on

To direct one’s frustration at someone who is not the source of the frustration (transitive, separable with a direct object after “take” and a person after “on”)

Take over

1. To start being responsible for something another person was doing (transitive, inseparable)
2. To seize control of something—such as a company or political entity (transitive, inseparable)

Takeover meaning

A takeover (noun) is a situation in which one entity takes over another (e.g., “Disney’s acquisition of Pixar was a friendly takeover”). This word is mainly used in business and politics.

Take part in (idiomatic phrase)

To participate in

Take through

To explain (transitive, separable with a person after “take” and another noun after “through”—take someone through something)

Take to

1. To begin doing or enjoying on a regular basis (transitive, inseparable)
2. To begin liking (transitive, inseparable)

Take up

1. To lift from the ground or floor (transitive, separable)
2. To start doing an activity or job (transitive, separable)

Take up on

To accept someone’s offer for something (transitive, separable with a person after “take” and a noun for the offer after “on”)

Frequently asked questions about phrasal verbs with take

What is the meaning of take heart?

The most common meaning of “take heart” is “to stay hopeful and courageous during challenging times.” “Take heart” is an idiomatic phrase that someone says to inspire or encourage another person.

You can say “take heart” by itself or followed by a prepositional phrase that begins with “in” or a noun clause that begins with “that.”

• “Take heart. This too shall pass.”
• “Older adults who are worried about the future should take heart in the next generation’s commitment to equity.”
• “Even though we lost the game, we should take heart that we learned a lot this season.”

When you’re writing with idiomatic phrases or phrasal verbs with “take,” the QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.

What is the meaning of take my breath away?

“Take my breath away” means “to be exceptionally beautiful, exciting, or surprising.” For example, a wedding guest might say, “Lily took my breath away when she walked down the aisle.” (It’s also the title of a love song by Berlin from the 1980s.)

You can substitute “my” with any other possessive adjective or possessive noun (e.g., “The view of the Grand Canyon really takes your breath away”). Another variation is the adjective “breathtaking,” which is a compound word that means “exciting.”

“Take one’s breath away” is a common idiomatic phrase in English. It’s a bit tricky because “take” is an irregular verb with conjugations like “took” and “taken.”

Luckily, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use idiomatic phrases and phrasal verbs with “take” correctly.

What is the meaning of take a load off?

“Take a load off” means “to relax or release a burden.” This idiomatic phrase is most commonly associated with the line “Take a load off, Annie” in The Band’s iconic song “The Weight.”

You can tell someone to take a load off when you invite them to sit down and relax (e.g., “You must be tired. Take a load off, and I’ll get you a drink”).

You can also take a load (i.e., a burden) off of something or someone (e.g., “The new administrative assistant took a huge load off of the office manager”).

When you’re writing with idioms or phrasal verbs with “take,” QuillBot’s free paraphrasing tool can show you alternatives.

What is the meaning of take me back?

The meaning of “take me back” is usually “to remind me of a previous time that I remember fondly.”

People sometimes say “take me back” all by itself in a conversation about a time they long for (e.g., “These onesies remind me of when Maya was a baby. Take me back”). It’s become a catchphrase or common exclamation in popular culture.

You can also say that something “takes me back” (or use any other object pronoun for the person who is “taken back”) when it reminds you of a previous time (e.g., “These tiny cowboy boots take me back to when Maya was a baby”).

Yet another meaning for “take me back” is “allow me to have a relationship with you again” (e.g., “I begged the company that laid me off to take me back”).

The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you use “take back” and other phrasal verbs with “take” correctly in your writing.

Is it takeout or take-out?

It can be “takeout” or “take-out.” “Takeout” is a compound noun that means “food that you order from a restaurant to eat somewhere else” (e.g., “We didn’t have time to eat at the restaurant, so we ordered takeout”). In UK English, “takeaway” is more common.

“Take-out” (with a hyphen) is an adjective (as well as a compound word) that modifies a noun that pertains to the food that you can take out (e.g., “The line for take-out BBQ was too long, so we left”). The UK version of this is “take-away.”

Remembering when to use hyphens for the variations of phrasal verbs with take can be tricky. Luckily, QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can show you which version is right.